


Found Love

by Leaves_Crown



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Distance, Hurt/Comfort, Lost - Freeform, Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-22
Updated: 2014-05-22
Packaged: 2018-01-13 10:36:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1223164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leaves_Crown/pseuds/Leaves_Crown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the death of his parents, Midorima moves to Canada and finds out how much he misses Takao.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lost

The tall boy, usually so proud and unbend, had made himself as small as possible. Sitting in the corner of his kitchen, Midorima hugged his knees and hid his face. On the cold tiles next to him, lay his glasses and stood his friend.

Feeling helpless, useless, Takao looked down on him.

Midorima had lost his parents when a drunk driver crashed into their car. With them he had also lost his house, his school, sister, team mates and probably even basketball. In a few minutes, a taxi would arrive. Midorima would go the airport, fly to Canada and live with his aunt. She was a scientist in a remote town and lived their with her research. Everything would be different from life in Tokyo. Even though Midorima spoke English well, Takao worried about all the adjustments he would have to make, while he mourned his parents.

Takao sighed. The hurt radiating from his team mate, friend, overwhelmed him. “I’m sorry.”

No snorts. No pointing out that Takao was foolish to apologize for something he held no blame for. Takao wished he would have done one of those things. Instead, overburdened with grief, Midorima pulled closer into himself.

A few minutes back, Takao had called him a taxi, while Midorima had waited in the kitchen. When Takao came to see what took him so long, he had found him on the floor. He had never been this worried about someone in his life. Perhaps he should call off Midorima's flight and make him stay in Japan for a few more days. Midorima did not seem to want to sleep in this house anymore, but surely he could stay with him?

Takao sighed. He knew Midorima would not go for that. No matter how miserable he felt, he would not want to become a burden to someone else’s family. He already found it hard enough to accept hospitality from an aunt he had only met twice.

“Shall I get you something?”

No response. He walked to the hallway and checked Midorima’s coats. It was a cold autumn day. Just an hour ago it had rained and the sky was grey. Still, it would be nothing compared to the weather in Canada. Takao grabbed the big black coat that hung behind one of his mother and laid it out for him on the couch.

“Take this one, okay?”

Still no answer.

This was not how Takao wanted to say goodbye. Throat dry, he stepped closer.

“It’s gonna suck without you, you know.”

Perhaps his words meant nothing to him now, but when Midorima lived there, alone and all, the memory of them might give him comfort.

“Our team won’t be nearly as good without you. We all know that. But you’re also my best friend. I’ll miss you.”

Bewildered, Midorima looked up at him.

Takao shrugged. “You probably think I’m annoying, but I thought I should tell you.”

When Midorima kept staring, he raised his hand in greeting. “I wish you all the best.”

Trying to hide how much affected he was, Takao turned around. Just as he started walking away, a hand grabbed his ankle.

“You’ll leave now?”

Takao spun around. “You want to be alone, right?”

Never before had Midorima looked this vulnerable. “I don’t.”

Touched, Takao dropped to his knees in front of him and embraced him. Midorima’s arms came around him, his breathing heavy.

Takao let him pour his grief into him. He wished he could take it away, or carry at least half of his burden.

“Two more years,” Takao whispered. “And then you can come back. You’ll go to university with me.”

Midorima did not respond to this, but his grip on Takao tightened.

Had the occasion not been this sad, Takao would be mad with joy at being this close to him. For months he had fantasized about Midorima. First he had just imagined touching his body, letting his fingers trace over his muscles. Once his mind took that road, it did not take long before he imagined things like being rolled on his back by Midorima and fucked hard.

Sometimes he believed the other boy knew, while at other times he seemed oblivious. The uncertainty had only made it worse. Every day, after practice, he had sneaked a look in when Midorima changed. Just short looks. A treat he looked forward to every weekday and savoured at night. Even now, he felt things he probably shouldn’t feel, desire flaring up and threatening to overwhelm him.

With effort, he pushed it back. He was here to comfort and say goodbye, not to give into his lust. Midorima almost needed to depart. What Takao needed to do was give him strength, not create a situation that would likely embarrass them both.

So he broke the embrace to pick up the glasses and put them were they belonged. Midorima blinked when his world came back into focus. He checked the kitchen clock.

“Have you closed all the windows and stuff?” Takao asked.

“Yes.”

Takao stood up. “Shall I get your suitcase?”

“It’s at the front door.”

“Ah.”

“I said goodbye to my sister yesterday.” Midorima got up too and avoided Takao’s eyes for a moment. That was another part to his sadness. His grandparents could only take one of them into their little house. Midorima, not wanting to upset his sister’s life even more, had insisted she could stay.

“It was great what you did for her.”

Midorima shrugged.

The doorbell rang. The taxi had arrived. Midorima grabbed the black coat and put his passport in a pocket.

Remembering, Takao stepped into the kitchen. From the sink, he grabbed the little figurine of a blue, grinning dolphin.

Putting on his shoes, he stepped outside. Midorima locked the door and handed him the key. Takao would give it to his grandparents, so they could take his sister’s things in a few days. Perhaps Takao would have to do it himself. So far, they had not been able to handle coming to the house after their daughter died.

The driver stuffed his luggage into the back of the car as Midorima sat down in the passenger’s seat.

“Shin-chan.” He held out the dolphin. “Don’t forget your Lucky Item.”

Midorima looked back at him. “I don’t want it.”

“Huh?”

“That day, the car crash. The Lucky Item was a porcelain statue. I dropped it.”

Takao’s mouth fell open, knowing immediately what the other boy had concluded. “Eh? But… that’s not really…”

“I never drop things.” Midorima closed his eyes in pain. “It was my fault.”

“No!” Takao grabbed his shaking hands. “Don’t even think that!”

He pulled them back. “It was.”

With that, Midorima took the figurine of the dolphin and placed it on the porch.

The driver started up the car, but Takao held the door on Midorima’s side.

“Things like that happen. The stars don’t punish you for that. You are not to blame!”

Midorima pried his hand away. “Thanks, Takao, for saying that.”

He closed the door and nodded.

One last time, they looked at each other.

Speechless, Takao stood watching as Midorima drove off to a new life. After the taxi had left the street, he picked up the dolphin. He shivered. Only now, he realized how cold it was outside. But it was nothing compared to the temperatures Midorima would experience this winter in Newfoundland.

_To be continued_


	2. Chapter 2

It had been more than half a year since Takao had said goodbye to Midorima on that rainy autumn day. Every two weeks they called. Though he tried to hide it, Takao knew that Midorima was unhappy. The first thing Takao tried was to tell him long stories about all the ups and downs in the Japanese basketball circuit. But he had realized that only made him sadder, more remote from him.

Midorima’s aunt was not unkind, but did not show him affection as his parents had done. He had little in common with the students at the only high school in his town and spent most evenings inside, looking at the dark, cold nights.

Takao thought hard about ways to mend that ever growing rift between them. Midorima was not naturally inclined to speaking a lot and talk of their common hobby only reminded them of what they had lost. They could not play basketball over the phone or computer.

It had been during a particularly boring English lesson, when Takao had his great idea. Midorima had another hobby. Something they could play online.

Only problem was that Takao did not know anything about shogi.

So, on the first mild day after the winter, he boarded a train to visit his grandmother. She had been pleasantly surprised to see him at her door and even more so when he begged her for instruction.

Two weeks later he knew all the basics. Midorima had frowned at him through his webcam when Takao send him a link for a game. An hour later, something had softened in his face. He taught Takao more moves, told him why this or that piece should not be moving forward at that time. None of the awkwardness of before lingered. Midorima felt at ease teaching and perhaps most importantly: he felt needed.

Takao indulged him at first, but began to develop an interest in the game.

“Got you there,” he hollered on a Sunday morning, when he finally managed to see something Midorima hadn’t.

The other boy nodded, pleased. “Perhaps you have talent.”

“So, how was school?” Takao asked, after moving his jade general.

“I studied.”

“You attend lessons, yeah. And I’m sure you do great. But how do you like the people?”

Midorima focused on the game. “You talk a lot during shogi.”

“You know me.” He grinned at the webcam. “Will stop if you tell me a little more.”

“The Students are fine. They don’t bother me.”

“Yeah, but did you make any friends?”

“I am fine by myself.”

It was Takao’s turn to frown. “Join a club then.”

“They don’t have them. Not in the way we do in Japan.”

“Nobody who plays chess? Western chess, I mean.”

Midorima paused. “I don’t know.”

“Go find out.”

After this, they did not just talk once every two weeks, but almost every day. Midorima got up early, before school, so he could play an hour with Takao. As he left, Takao would help make dinner, smiling, remembering a move Midorima had made. He looked so focused during shogi games that he sometimes wanted to reach out and caresses away the frown on his face.

At last, he made some friends. A brother and sister, twins, who had never left their town. He liked exchanging books with an American, who had trouble adjusting like him. During lunch he sat with two girls who dreamed of becoming tennis players. He played chess with all of them and taught them shogi as well. Especially the twins took to the game, and were soon hell-bent on joining a tournament in Montreal.

Takao’s worries lessened, but he was glad Midorima did not forget about him.

On a hot Friday in June, Takao ran home after school. Sweating and uncomfortable, he postponed taking a shower and sat down behind his desk. He opened his laptop and logged in.

Midorima already waited for him. “You had a good day?”

“Yeah, great practice.” He quickly changed subject. “Say, I can’t make it tomorrow.”

Midorima’s lips tightened. “I see.”

“Got a job. As a dishwasher.”

“Dishwasher?”

“Yeah, I know it isn’t great, but I need to save money.”

Knowing well enough Takao was building up for an announcement, Midorima indulged him by asking. “For what?”

Takao looked straight into the camera. “So I can visit you.”

Midorima took a deep breath. “Why?”

Just barely, he kept himself from laughing. “So I can annoy you in person.”

“It’s a lot of money,” Midorima said.

“Will have enough by winter.”

“It’s too cold for you.”

Takao crossed his arms. “You don’t want me to come?”

“Come in summer.”

That was an awful long time. Takao faked a pout, even though he really felt a bit hurt. “Don’t want to see me until next year?”

“This summer,” Midorima insisted. “I’ll wire you the money.”

“You…what?”

“I have saved money for years. Now I want to use it.”

“Saved for what?”

Midorima frowned. “Just saved. Do you want to come or not?”

“Yeah!”

“Good. Give me your bank details.”

“I’ll ask my mom.”

Midorima rolled his eyes.

Grinning from ear to ear, Takao jumped from his seat and ran downstairs, yelling: “Do I have a passport?”

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Kuroko no Basket fic without Kuroko. Had a great time writing it and hope you enjoyed reading it.


End file.
